Taking pets with you to the Netherlands

Do you want to travel to the Netherlands with your pet? EU rules apply for travelling with pets such as dogs, cats and ferrets.

Taking your dog, cat or ferret with you to the Netherlands

Standard EU rules apply if you want to travel to the Netherlands with your dog, cat or ferret. This means your pet must have an animal passport, microchip and a compulsory rabies vaccination.

Is the pet you want to take with you to the Netherlands another kind of animal?

Do you want to travel to the Netherlands with another kind of animal, such as a rabbit, bird or reptile?

If you are travelling from an EU country, it must have a health certificate issued by a veterinarian.

Do you want to bring a pet to the Netherlands from a country outside the EU? Find out what the rules are on the Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority's veterinary import online database (in Dutch).

Travelling with protected species

If you want to bring a protected species to the Netherlands you will need a CITES permit. CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) regulates the international trade in protected plant and animal species.

The website of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO.nl) explains which animals require a CITES permit. The information is only available in Dutch. To apply for a permit, please contact RVO.nl: